by The UK farming landscape has changed dramatically since Brexit. Agricultural policy has been adjusted, and EU subsidies, which financed UK farming for years, are no more.
Before the split, those subsidies helped British farmers nearly £3 billion a year, which for some represented 90% of their annual income. That system is now being phased out, in a move that the UK government claims will be more environmentally sustainable.
Central to this new approach are “environmental land management schemes”, designed to encourage farmers to produce so-called “public goods” – things like soil health and wildlife habitat – with levels of financial payment depending on which these goods are removed. Defra aims for 70% farmer participation by 2028, with 11,000 farmers in England already registered.
But its appeal and practicality remain controversial. And the new way of doing things comes with big implications for the farming community.
Money is tight, and the future is frighteningly uncertain.
Our work investigates the constraints and challenges facing farmers in the UK and abroad. Recently, we explored the constraints facing farmers from Brexit, focusing specifically on upland farms in England. We found that the focus on environmental sustainability, while laudable, ignores critical economic and social aspects.
The move threatens to marginalize traditional-minded farmers, to lose the cultural heritage and to weaken the social fabric of the rural community. And it’s a move that doesn’t just affect the farmers. The farming and food industries are worth over £120 billion to the British economy.
Speaking to upland farmers (working in hilly and mountainous regions) across four English counties (Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Devon), we found that many are concerned about the future of the farms they look after. Farms that have been in the family for generations for some people.
One 70-year-old Lancashire farmer said bluntly about the future of his 250-acre beef and sheep farm: “We’re not going to be viable.”
He added: “I might stop farming and diversify into holiday letting.”
Another farmer, aged 50, who keeps Herdwick sheep in the Lake District, highlighted the vital role of EU subsidies, noting that their proposed removal by 2027 would severely limit their farm’s finances and with their ability to pursue environmental initiatives.
She said: “Having that basic payment taken out of the business, it’s very difficult. We can make about £10,000 profit, but our base payment is more than that. So that’s going to put us in a situation where we’re not making any money.”
Concerns were also expressed about how difficult it is to understand the new UK farming policy. Four out of ten farmers in the UK are over 65, and the information set out in the 150-page “Incentive for Sustainable Farming” document can be overwhelming. Many traditional farmers do not use mobile phones, and are not familiar with the online world.
Farms and forms
One farmer told us: “In my porch I have a thousand sheets stacked up [Defra] I sent it to take it out to people because many of the farmers I work with are not online. They haven’t heard much of this stuff.”
She added: “I went to a farm last week, which is only accessible by 4×4. There’s no one to talk to about schemes and stuff ever.”
Another farmer, aged 72, said: “It’s too difficult to fill in all the forms. Don’t even bother with these new schemes because I don’t understand it.”
And while new schemes can be complex, many of the farmers we spoke to were very clear about the risks to the future of British farming. Overall, they seemed concerned that farms, skills and knowledge passed down through the generations would be lost during this transition to more sustainable farming.
One person said: “If farming is not supported as it was in the past, we will lose a lot of farmers who were on farms. [for generations]. Their skills and instincts will be gone, and it will be covered by agribusiness. Maybe that’s it [the government] wanting.”
Another explained: “If we lose the older generation that’s a big loss.
“What happened with tenancies was that people would work together, like me and my son. And then gradually step back and the other person would gradually take over. It’s a gradual process. “
Overall, we found that the future looked bright for the more traditional farmers we spoke to. There was also a strong sense that although the farms they operated might not be particularly profitable, or provide the strongest environmental benefits, there was still social and cultural value. with the work they do – something that could be lost forever.
Read more: Why are farmers armed? The view from Wales
As England grapples with the complexities of post-Brexit agricultural policy, the balance between environmental goals and the preservation of traditional farming practices is precarious. Many of the farmers we met felt that they were being pushed away from their traditional role as producers.
As one farmer put it: “If you’re taking productive land out of production for tree planting or any kind of diversification, then where is our food coming from?”
This article from The Conversation is republished under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
The authors do not work for, consult with, own shares in, or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and do not disclose any relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
